The Otters sent out Braden Scott for his 16th start of the season and he delivered an absolute gem. He started off strong, with three strikeouts through three straight shutout innings.
The offense found their way in the third with a couple of two-out hits. Ellis Schwartz singled in the first run and LJ Jones followed with a single of his own to put Evansville up 3-0.
Scott kept dealing as he stranded a runner at second in the fourth with back-to-back punch outs. He started the fifth with another strikeout, earning him his 500th career strikeout. Scott followed that up with two more strikeouts to end the fifth and struck out the first two batters in the sixth for his seventh straight strikeout.
Evansville added insurance runs in the bottom of the sixth with another two-out hit. After a single and a couple of walks loaded the bases, Crix Taveras, who got his first professional hit earlier in the game, hit his second of three doubles to clear the bases and extended the Otters lead to 6-0.
Scott finished his night with another scoreless frame and a strikeout, giving him a season high 11 punch outs on the night. He went seven scoreless frames, allowing just four baserunners en route to his eighth quality start of the season. With 115 strikeouts on the season, Scott still leads the Frontier League in punchouts.
Garrett Crowley, who was activated before today’s game after a trade from Quebec, made his first appearance as an Otter and struck out three during his eighth inning. Nolan Thebiay pitched a scoreless ninth to finish the game 6-0.
Evansville is back in action tomorrow night at 6:35 p.m. CT for another Wing Wednesday before the series finale on Thursday night. The Otters follow this series with a three-game set against the Windy City ThunderBolts in Chicago.
